Just food for thought, in case operation affects design:
For mark-recapture studies, it is desireable to have animals not be unwilling
to enter the trap after having been caught the first time. The method for
achieving this is to have the trap not go off the first several times the
animal goes after the bait. Once the animal is conditioned to the fact that
the trap is not dangerous and provides a reward, occasionally being caught for
brief periods is not sufficient to cause avoidance.
Geoff Patton
--- On Wed, 9/17/08, Martin Meiss <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
From: Martin Meiss <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Thesis Questionnaire: Live-Trap Redesign
To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU
Date: Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 10:41 AM
Hi, Justin,
Here's some experience I've had with live-trapping to keep
pests out
of my garden. My major problem-animals are squirrels and groundhogs, and
trapping them is quite different. Squirrels check out a trap because of
curiosity (they investigate any novel object or disturbed soil) and can be
easily enticed into the trap with a little peanut butter smeared on the bait
pan. Design point 1: anything that makes it unnecessarily awkward to access
the bait pan should be avoided.
For me, trapping the groundhogs was quite different. Squirrels know
no barriers, and enter the garden from any point, but I knew exactly how my
groundhog was getting in: through a gap in a fence. (You might wonder,
then, why didn't I just fix the gap? Because then the groundhog would have
dug under the fence, and I could not have predicted where it would have done
that. Groundhogs don't seem to be as curious as squirrels, and won't
approach a trap just because it is novel: if it's not on their path, or
well
baited, they'll never approach,) But because there are plenty of hiding
areas on both sides of the fence, I couldn't know on which side of the
fence
the groundhog was at any time. My Chinese-made trap can only be entered
from one end, and I didn't know which direction to have the opening face,
toward the gap in the fence, or away from it. Design point 2: make your
trap with two entrances, like a Havahart.
To place the trap I had to set it first and then thrust it through a
hedge to the fence. Bumping or jostling during this process would trigger
the trap and I'd have to start over: pull it out, reset, and push back,
Design point 3: don't make the trigger too sensitive, or better yet, make
it with variable sensitivity.
Any outward projections from the sides of the trap would have made
thrusting it into the hedge that much more difficult. Design point 4: avoid
outward projections.
In the course the summer I caught many squirrels, three feral cats,
the bothersome ground hog, and two skunks. Freeing skunks without getting
squirted can be a problem. It took long minutes of sweet, gentle talk and
slow approach to let them out. Design point 5: have an optional means of
opening the trap from a distance, perhaps by a pull-string (or even a radio
signal, if you want to go high-tech.
Now that I think about it, if you decide on high-tech, why not have a
remote system of detecting whether the trap has been sprung, or contains an
animal? Maybe a built-in camera! For your research purposes, a built-in
camera, or a camera nearby, would be a great way to study the behavior of
animals as they approach the trap, enter it, take the bait, spring the
mechanism, and what they do after they realize they are caught. Knowing
these things would undoubtedly influence your design.
Some trapped animals become aggressive as the trapper approaches, and
attempt to bite through the wires. Thus, picking up a wire-bale handle that
has flopped down onto the top of the cage can be dangerous. Design point 6:
shield the area around the pick-up handle, or make it lockable in the
upright position. However, don't make it permanently upright, as this
violates the principle of no outward projections.
I have limited storage space. My trap is collapsible, but it is
awkward and time consuming, both to collapse and to set it back up again.
Design point 7: make your trap EASILY collapsible.
Design point 8: If you have time, make your trap lighter than air,
encrusted with gems, and fluent in three foreign languages. That last one
is optional, but could help overseas sales.
I hope all this helps, and that you indeed make an improved trap. AND
that it costs less than thirty dollars.
Martin Meiss
2008/9/16 Justin Cumming <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> Hello,
>
> My name is Justin Cumming, I am an Industrial Design Student at the
> Cleveland Institute of Art. I
> am looking for insight on my senior thesis project. It is focused on the
> design and development of
> a new Live-Trap for medium sized animals (Skunks, Raccoons, Feral cats,
> exc.)
>
> Project Background: This project to assess and redesign the cage-style
live
> trapping device for
> medium size vertebrate animals.
>
> The trap will be for commercial and civilian use with the focus being on
> wildlife management and
> research applications. (including feral cat management and TNR programs).
>
> I am benchmarking the Tomahawk and Havahart traps as general baseline for
> the research phase
> due to there popularity amongst professionals.
>
>
>
> Some of the goals for the redesign will include:
>
> + User (trapper & civilian) interaction and operation of the trap
> (transport>setup>retrieval>maintenance).
>
> + Improve post capture treatment of animals. Transportation, transfer from
> cage, treatment
> (vaccination, exc) well in cage.
>
> + Methods of containment to ensure a humane capture with minimal harm
> inflicted upon the
> animal.
>
> + Exploration of new materials that would improve manufacture, function,
> reduce weight, lower
> cost, help with containment.
>
> + Establish a basic understanding of animal behavior and conditioning with
> the intention of
> applying it to the improved design.
>
>
>
> Questions are as follows: (questions are directed toward individuals who
> have used such devices
> but please give any relevant notes from experience.)
>
>
>
> How many traps do you set and monitor well working?
>
>
>
> How often do you check them and what would be the longest time you would
> let one sit
> unattended?
>
>
>
> How do you transport, store, maintain the traps?
>
>
>
> How long do the traps last, did they ever break or malfunction?
>
>
>
> Once an animal is captured how do you transport the animal (in trap,
> transfer to alternate cage)?
>
>
>
> With your experience what do you find most difficult about the trapping
> process?
>
>
>
> Of the cages you have used what features do you like and dislike, do you
> have brand a preference?
>
>
>
> If there was one thing that would make your job easier what would it be?
>
>
>
> Any comments on project goals, ideas, exc. would be great.
>
>
>
> Please foreword this email to any individuals who would be willing to
offer
> insight and answer
> some of my questions.
>
>
>
> Thank you for your time.
>
> Feel free to contact me via email or telephone
>
> My phone number is 978.766.8092
>
> Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Justin Cumming
>
>
>
> P.S. If you are familiar with any other organizations or research in area
> of design and development
> of new trapping systems I would greatly appreciate their contact info for
> further research.
>
